The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-19
PENITEN1IiRY HORRORS.
THE RING IN THE MISSISSIPPI
INSTITU ZION.
A Visit TO the Prison Hospital and
the Narrowing Spectacle
Presented.
ESPECIAL TO THE lrruAL,l

JACKSON, Mns., July lS-Whatever
differences OF opinion msy exis; here
between the Hamilton. G smbrell fac
tions, as to the actual killing Of GAM
brell by Hamilton, oil are agreed that
the Penitentisry leass system, which
was the prime cause Of Gambrell's
newspaper attacks on Hamilton, is
iniquitously barbsrous, and foul
stain on the States escutcheop, which,
while II can never fully repair or atone
for the crueltiee, hsrdships and sgon-
izlng deaths that have marked Its
supremacy, yet the system, as such,
must and shall be obliterated. The
demand is irresistible, and Il is safe to
predict that the next Legislature will
be prompt to respond to II.
Another fact which public sentiment
is ae nearly In accord with Is that out
OF this leasing system has grown a
corrupt "ripg," composed OF the les
sses and those otherwise benefited by
the use OF the State's convicls.
That this "ring" has had much to do
In influencing legislation tcuchiBg toe
conduct OF the penitentiary, and bad
become powerful enough to subordi.
nate the opposition, or at least q ma
jority Of it, is sustained BY the reports
Of the standing and special committees
OF the Senate during the session Of
1885, and to certain extent In 1884
Jonas 8 Hamilton has been one OF
the lessees Of the penitentiary for
eleven years. He has all along been
regarded as the directing power of
the companies which have held the
leases. Daring this time he has
served eight years 10 the State Senate,
four years from the county Of Wilker.
son, where he was born, AID four
from Kinds. Being already wealthy
and having large interests to look
alter, no other reason can be given 10.
his wishing to be a member OF the
Senate, which tskes mp much time
and only pays $500 for the four years
service, than TO be ON the spot TO
watch legislation on the eubjscts he
was most interested in.
For several years the lessees subtle,
the convicts to be worked on farms,
employing many Of them tho mselves.
Ed. Richal dsoD, who, before bis
death, IL is said, rsissd more cotton
than any man in the world except the
Khedive Of Egypt, did 70 with this
convict labor. This system was mos.
pernicious and the cruelties N d cted
by the overeeTs will never be fully
known. A most revolving picture OF
the treatment OF the cenvic's under IL
is contained In the report OF the
House Committee on the Peniientisr
during the session OF 1884. After
speaking Of the penilentlary proper as
being well and neatly kept, and hist
the prisoners within the walls were
well fed, clothed and the sick hu.
namely cared Tor, the report continues !;
"rhe committee has tsken quite an
amount OF testimony on the leasing
system, sub-lettiDg, etc, ss now
adopted by the laws OF this State, and
we have deliberately concluded tn {
tha, eystem Is even woite ihan the old
English plan Of letting out prisons NJ
franchise, AID that crimes have
bsen committed under the guise
Of cur laws, more cruel and offensive
than In Feet and Msrshalses, by Hig.
gins, B B.ibbridge, Oorbit and Acton.
under the Englieh system. While We
admit that the State prison has been
run without expense 10 the State apd
In fact at a profit OF 1884, S3, yet We
can but say that this has been done st
the expenfe OF human llvee-the lives
OF hel pless, mEnacled human beings,
and THE money can only be regard ID,
as Il 10 due the State or lies In her
treasury, a. blood money, aud can but
recommend its expenditure In n man
ner 10 relieve the present convict sys.
TEN Of this State and removing this
cursed blotted page from our s ate
history and 10 relieve our convict sys.
TEN Of the Just 70 roach; that the pun.
ishment OF common larceny, or the
smaller ielonies, Ia EQUAL 10 capital
punishment, and this penalty imposed
by the hand oi the law, irresponsible
and das,a div. co Eardly y guards OF the
wont character AID msantst instincts,
without the least semblance tf law"
The committee do the leesees the Jus
tice 10 state that In the main they are
kind and generous. and have anoalled
the contracts Of their underlipgs, In
many instances where these inhuman
abuses b ave been called 10 their stten.
ton, but that they have not bsen M
assiduous In having the Law complied
uith a. they should have been and
thus prevented nu'old suffering.
To this report Hamilton end Hos.
kins replied, with numerous afidavits
OF cit zens, who sad visited the vari.
Gus camps and also OF many convicts
which went 10 show that they weIs
humauely tfea'ed In every respect. II
IL altogether proper 10 say in this con
nectlon that the potition OF Gov. Low
~, on the government Of the peniten
tiaiy and the disposition Of the con
yicts, hss been far In advance OF legis
latlon on the subj ect Quotations from
bis inaugural ADDRESS aod subiequen
metsseee, quoted In todAy's APPKAi
attest this. while the Governor maj
have been lax 10 a terialn extent 10
approving CONTRACTS and bills o
charges therefor, PRESENTED 10 him b.
the superintendent for improvements
| x.natrs ate whirh had heeu made n,